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The mutual reinforcement of scientific and technological knowledge—a technology-level analysis

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  • Krzysztof Szczygielski

    (University of Warsaw)

  • Jerzy Mycielski

    (University of Warsaw)

Abstract

While the contribution of science to technological progress has been empirically confirmed, the literature looking at the positive feedback from technology to science remains limited, because of the constrained citation linkages. We apply a novel machine-learning-based method to attribute 2.5 million scientific articles to the categories of WIPO patent taxonomy. We then employ Granger causality analysis to study the coevolution of technological and scientific knowledge over more than 25 years. We demonstrate that the evolution of scientific output is a good predictor of the evolution of technology production, while the opposite effect is weaker. Looking at individual WIPO technology fields, we find significant effects in about one-third of categories.

Suggested Citation

  • Krzysztof Szczygielski & Jerzy Mycielski, 2024. "The mutual reinforcement of scientific and technological knowledge—a technology-level analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 129(11), pages 6533-6549, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:129:y:2024:i:11:d:10.1007_s11192-024-05162-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-024-05162-5
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Science; Technology; Patent data; Bibliometric studies; Machine learning; Granger causality; WIPO taxonomy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General

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